please help...car not starting...

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slim_jim
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Joined: 25 Aug 2010 08:54 pm

please help...car not starting...

Post by slim_jim » 27 Jan 2011 09:21 pm

its a 1.7 340

it turns over but doesnt fire up...
theres fuel getting to the carb,
theres a slight spark (very weak on all 4 plugs)
distributer cap in ok condition,
cleaned the crank shaft sensor

still not working...
was fine yesterday...

any ideas?

Thanks

volvosneverdie
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Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by volvosneverdie » 27 Jan 2011 09:27 pm

Know its a bit obvious man, but battery?
Is the starter spinning normal speed by ear?

The cold has been killing them.
Image

slim_jim
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Joined: 25 Aug 2010 08:54 pm

Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by slim_jim » 27 Jan 2011 09:38 pm

yeah the batterys dead now because of the amount of times ive cranked it...

ive put jump leads on and charged battery but still not doing anything...

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Speedy88
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Location: Bristol

Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by Speedy88 » 27 Jan 2011 11:14 pm

Sounds like coil to me. Cranking with no firing at all and weak spark is coil 9 times out of 10.
'88 340 Williams (Sold)
'85 360 GLS - Drift project (Sold)
'77 Colt Sigma
'96 940 Drift project

Ride_on
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Location: Belfast, N. Ireland

Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by Ride_on » 28 Jan 2011 12:45 am

Sometimes just needs taking the coil out from the renix unit and cleaning. Also the 1.7s can leak oil into the disty which causes weak spark just from a clear film that is evaporated off (I think). You need to clean it with solvent or just a good wipe.
1980 345 DL_______1987 360 GLE (project car restored to GLT spec and B230FT'd)
1984 360 GLT______1987 360 GLT
1983 360 GLS______1989 360 GLE
1985 340 GL_______1986 340 1.4
1985 360 GLS______1995 940 SE 2.3 Turbo Estate (daily)
1987 340 GL 1.7

slim_jim
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Joined: 25 Aug 2010 08:54 pm

Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by slim_jim » 28 Jan 2011 12:46 am

Cheers for the replys, ill try new coil tomorrow

slim_jim
Posts: 112
Joined: 25 Aug 2010 08:54 pm

Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by slim_jim » 29 Jan 2011 03:28 pm

ok new one for you guys...

cars getting good spark, ive replaced the distributer cap...so spark is good now...

ive got 2 carbs...so i put the replacement carb on...nothing happened and the fuel bouls were dry!!
i stripped the other carb and blew through all the holes, cleaned all the jets e.t.c and then put the fresh carb back on,

i can now see the fuel dripping down the chamber when im cranking the car over...

when i use full throttle and half choke the car splutters into life and dies as soon as i leave the ignition!!

so where as before all it done was crank...its now starting to splutter...

and also im getting alot of spitting through the carb...even had a little fire!!

can anyone shed some light onto my problem??

really starting to wish i left the 300 alone :(

Ride_on
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Location: Belfast, N. Ireland

Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by Ride_on » 29 Jan 2011 07:15 pm

Could the timing belt have slipped? Is it sounding good on compression? Otherwise it could be ignition timing (unreliable TDC sensor mainly).
1980 345 DL_______1987 360 GLE (project car restored to GLT spec and B230FT'd)
1984 360 GLT______1987 360 GLT
1983 360 GLS______1989 360 GLE
1985 340 GL_______1986 340 1.4
1985 360 GLS______1995 940 SE 2.3 Turbo Estate (daily)
1987 340 GL 1.7

slim_jim
Posts: 112
Joined: 25 Aug 2010 08:54 pm

Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by slim_jim » 30 Jan 2011 03:49 pm

Where's the tdc sensor located mate?

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Chris_C
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Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by Chris_C » 30 Jan 2011 07:15 pm

Can you see a spark when holding it against the block? If you can, then the crank sensor is ok.

The fact the fuel bowl was dry is insteresting, do you get fuel squirting through when you take the feed pipe off the carb and crank?
'89(G) 340 GLE B172k
'03 S60 D5 SE, '91 (J) MX5, 1954 Cyclemaster
Ex:
'89(F) 340 GL F7R (ex B172k) - Fake -> SBKV 300 Runner Up 08, 12; '91(H) 340 GL B14.4E - Kar; '88(F) 360 GLT B200E - Jet -> BKV 300 Runner Up 09; '89(G) 360 GLT B200E - Beast

slim_jim
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Joined: 25 Aug 2010 08:54 pm

Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by slim_jim » 30 Jan 2011 08:41 pm

Yeah get good clear spark when holding against the block, and I've now rebuilt the carb so The bows now filling fine...so I'm well confused what's going on!!

Ride_on
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Joined: 26 May 2009 05:34 pm
Location: Belfast, N. Ireland

Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by Ride_on » 31 Jan 2011 01:46 am

Pour petrol down the carb throat, if it still does start its still a spark problem IMO, could still be be compression I suppose.
1980 345 DL_______1987 360 GLE (project car restored to GLT spec and B230FT'd)
1984 360 GLT______1987 360 GLT
1983 360 GLS______1989 360 GLE
1985 340 GL_______1986 340 1.4
1985 360 GLS______1995 940 SE 2.3 Turbo Estate (daily)
1987 340 GL 1.7

CBA
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Joined: 24 Mar 2010 02:14 am

Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by CBA » 31 Jan 2011 03:32 am

Check for massive leak at the carb flange. Check the Timing belt has not slipped. Take off ve rocker.cam cover and make sure theres nothing catastrophic in there. Check ht leads are good. Check each plug for strong spark. Check fuel cut off solenoid operation. Hmmm. Check for carb manifold flange leak as priority ik think .

pettaw
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Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by pettaw » 31 Jan 2011 10:15 pm

If fuel is pouring down the barrell of the carbs its seriously flooding the carb out. There's almost certainly a bit of dirt jammed in the needle valve blocking it from shutting properly and causing the carb to flood. Why don't you put the other carb on if you found the problem was a non-existant spark? Otherwise you'll have to strip that carb down and clean it out properly and check all its adjustments. Its not a diffcult job but its tedious and takes time.

morgan105
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Location: Wirral, UK

Re: please help...car not starting...

Post by morgan105 » 02 Feb 2011 10:42 am

Are the plugs getting wet with crankin the engine over? If not fuel is not reaching them so could be a leak at the inlet. Is there a good amount of fuel being supplied to the carb to keep it filling? Could be a blocked filter in the carb, take the fuel pipe off the carb to see if fuel is getting to it properly and if not it could be a faulty fuel pump. Check the timing statically with the timing marks, as CBA says the belt may have slipped, which will cause the valves to open at the wrong time not allowing fuel in to detonate at the right time and will cause spit back through the carb.

Worst case is it may be a bent camshaft. I've had this happen once and luckily I had made it only a mile or so from home when it went after a 100 mile drive (not on a volvo though!).

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